1. Technical Field
This invention relates to speech recognition systems. More particularly, this invention relates to speech recognition systems for a user to select a list element from a list or group of list elements.
2. Related Art
Many electronic applications have design processes or sequences that are speech-guided or speech-controlled by a user. The electronic applications include destination guidance (navigation) systems for vehicles, telephone and/or address systems, and the like. Vehicles include automobiles, trucks, boats, airplanes, and the like.
In these processes or sequences, a user provides speech output to a speech recognition unit. The speech output often corresponds to a list element from a list or group of list elements. The speech recognition unit processes the speech output. The speech recognition unit selects a list element in response to the processed speech output.
Speech recognition units typically process a limited number of speech outputs. Many speech recognition units can process only a few thousand words (speech outputs) or list elements. When there are large numbers of list elements, the speech recognition unit may not function or may not function properly without additional conditioning or processing of the speech output. Many applications have an extensive number of list elements, especially when the list comprises most or all of the available list elements. Such applications include destination guidance (navigation) systems and telephone systems. Navigation and telephone systems typically include numerous city and street names. Telephone systems typically include numerous personal names. These applications may have lists with list elements numbering in the tens to hundreds of thousands. In addition, many speech recognition units may not differentiate between similar sounding list elements, especially when there are numerous list elements that sound alike.